Growing up
by Renova26
Summary: Journalist Haley James writes love columns without having ever experienced love. Nathan will make her believe in the truth of her words. Fluff and sweet one-shot


**Title: **Growing up

**Author:** Renova26

**Category:** romance

**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Tree Hill

This story is just a short and fluff one-shot based on some private thoughts. I am in the middle of studying for my first college exams and this is some light-hearted fun. I hope that you enjoy and I would really appreciate reviews!

_

* * *

_

Love Collumn- Washington Post 2006

_We never spend much thought about growing up._

_It is something that comes around natural and in some ways, it still does. We struggle and we learn, and we know that we will always have a backbone of family and friends who are there to support us, no matter what. I guess that is what makes growing up so fun, that special feeling of security and protection. However, with growth comes the realisation. The feeling soon fades away until there is nothing left. We continue to struggle and learn but this time, we stand on our own. That special faze, that special moment in life, is called adulthood. _

_Maybe that is the reason why we all search for our own prince charming. In this world we are living in, women have to live up to all kinds of expectations. We want everything to be perfect and with our desperate need for perfection come the worries and the stress. Therefore, we want to believe in the fairytale of the perfect prince. We want someone who gives us the feeling of security and protection back. Somebody who loves us for who we are, even when we are not perfect. _

_It does no matter who you are or where you are. If you are still searching for somebody in your life, do not go for anything less. And if you already found someone who still thinks that you are the most beautiful woman in the world, even when you have the flue and you look horrible, hold onto him as tightly as you could. __Because you will never find anything better. _

* * *

My name is Haley James and I am a columnist for the Washington Post. I overwhelm my readers every week with heartfelt columns where I advise them to live their life at the fullest and to love like they have never loved at all. Some have said that my words brought them to tears; others said that my words helped them make their dream come true. Their happiness inspires me to write each and every week about love. I have to use others experiences because I have none of my own. Although I have had some boyfriends, I never shared with someone that special feeling of true love. I always thought that I was not made for always and forever, or happily ever after.

But then again, I never thought that I would meet Nathan Scott again. You know those moments in the movies where the high school jock meets the school nerd several years later and she has become a graceful and beautiful woman? Well to tell you the truth, those are just movies. If anyone would believe you when you told him that I was beautiful or graceful when I met Nathan Scott again, than you can tell him that he is just plain naïve.

Brooke Davis was the reason for our meeting. Although most people only know her as one of the most brilliant fashion designers of the moment, I see her as my best friend. We have known eachother forever and we have been there for eachother as long as I could remember. In some ways, you could say that she is my security net. However, even security nets have their defaults, which resulted in having Nathan Scott over.

Brooke had made me stay at home that day since I was too sick to go to work. I had spent most of my morning in the bathroom as I was too nauseous to even move. You can imagine my horror when somebody knocked at our door. I stumbled in its direction, feeling too miserable to even care what I looked like. That all changed however when I saw who was at our door. I think I went green from the shock.

"_Hello, Miss. Is Brooke Davis at home?"_

From all the things I had expected him to say, that had not been one of them. I was surprised when it seemed as if he did not recognize me and it hurt my feelings when I thought about my invisibility towards him. But then again, even my parents would not have been able to recognize me. My hair was a mess, my body was crumbled in pain and I looked as white as the sheet around me.

"_Who is asking for her?"_

"_Nathan Scott. She wanted me to come over to discuss the photo shoot we planned on doing."_

You know those moments were you want to strangle your best friend although you love her dearly? I definitely had one of those. I wanted to tell him that she probably would be at work for another couple of hours but nausea overwhelmed me and I fled to the bathroom. I once again felt like a complete idiot. He probably would tell Brooke that her roommate was the weirdest person he had ever met. I was still dwelling in my misery when I felt someone kneel beside me. Did the horror never end?

"Are you alright? Stay calm, I will be back soon."

If somebody would have told me that Nathan Scott would be here with me, holding my hair and nursing me while I felt horrible, I never would have believed him. However, that is exactly what he did. He stayed with me and soothed me as if he had known me my entire life. In a way he did but it seemed as if he did not know that anymore.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I know how it feels when you are suffering on your own. I just wanted to help out."

"Thanks, Nathan. I know that you do not know me but…"

His comment had touched my heart. It seemed as if we were not so different after all. I had had a wonderful afternoon and each time we had talked, it had felt as if we had been friends for our entire life. His answer to my last statement went by as I fell asleep. Sickness had taken his toll and I was exhausted. The last I remember is him taking me to my room and whispering vaguely:

"I do know you, Hales. More than you can ever understand. Sleep well, beautiful."

You can understand my surprise when I woke up and I found Brooke sitting in the sofa. I did not know what to believe anymore and I was convinced that it had all been one fantastic fantasy. Because no one would ever tell a sick person in real life that she looked beautiful. It seemed that I was wrong. He showed up one day later and asked me for a coffee.

_Love Column- Washington Post 2009_

_Some of you may remember my article about growing up._

_I advised you to seek someone who was good enough, someone who could make you feel safe and protected. But most of all, I wanted you to find someone who loved you no matter what. It makes me proud to see that so many of you followed my advice._

_Life is about love. It does not matter where you find it or with whom you find it, it only matters that you do. Because it can make your world change. Life has a way of surprising us, of bringing people on our path who make our world seem brighter and happier. Enjoy each and every form of love because it is something to cherish in this world of anger and war. _

_When I first started writing for this paper, I had to use your faith and your love. Your happiness has inspired me and I honestly did not know if I would ever find some of my own. You made me believe in my words, you made me dream again and for that I want to thank you. My husband and I are now the proud parents of a beautiful son and I will take some time off to make him feel safe, protected and loved. It is what we all deserve. _

_And one last reminder: love can happen anytime, even when you are sick. __Take it from someone who knows! _

I smiled when I looked at my husband, clearly engrossed in the newspaper. Although we had been together for more than three years now, it still amazed me that my fantasy had become true. We got married two years ago and I had surprised him on our first wedding anniversary with the news of my pregnancy. He had been nothing but sweet and in the following months, he had been there to hold my hair back when I had morning sickness, just as he had done that first day.

"What do you think?"

"It is a good article, Hales. A little too sappy but I can live with it."

"You better. Because this sappy columnist is not going anywhere for a really long time."

"I am counting on it. I love you, Hales."

"I love you too, Nate."

While I looked at my son and felt the arms of my husband around me, I knew that I was right. Love was all that mattered.

**A/N: For all of you who are reading one of my other stories, I am currently not updating because I have exams. I will be back end January and I hope that you all are still interested then. For now, I wish you all a happy 2009 in which all you dreams will come true!**


End file.
